Rep. Bob Latta discusses potential, regulation of autonomous vehicles

U.S. Rep. Bob Latta, who represents Lorain County, has been pushing accountability for self-driving cars, also called autonomous vehicles, since before many Americans were aware that the technology was more real than science fiction. Latta, R-Bowling Green, spoke about the potential of autonomous vehicles, but also the need for federal regulation during his keynote address at the Ohio Chamber of Commerce's Future Forum at the Transportation Research Center in East Liberty on Thursday. In a news release sent Friday, Latta compared Ohio's position in vehicle automation to the role the state played in other major transportation advancements, but he also said that the proliferation of self-driving vehicles required federal action. "With autonomous vehicles becoming increasingly prevalent on streets across America, it's paramount that Congress acts to ensure the safety of these vehicles and all who encounter them," Latta said in the release. As co-chair of the Autonomous Vehicle Caucus in the House of Representatives and as a legislator who has been working on this issue for nearly a decade, safety is at the heart of all I do." Since 2017, Latta has worked on the Self Drive Act to improve regulation in the realm of AVs, meeting with hundreds of industry experts and co-founding the Congressional Autonomous Vehicle Caucus alongside Rep. Debbie Dingell, a Democratic congresswoman from Michigan. Latta said that he believed autonomous vehicle technology could help save lives on American roads, but only if the federal government takes the proper steps to make sure the technology is applied carefully. "While the legislation has evolved, my priorities have not," Latta said in the release. "Safety first, a single federal framework and American leadership are at the forefront of this work. "This legislation would require companies to prove that their self-driving vehicles are safe before they deploy onto our roads. The bill would also establish a national crash reporting repository so the public knows how these vehicles perform. While setting a federal standard, the bill would also preserve the role of the states, allowing their longstanding authorities on traffic laws, vehicle registration and insurance to continue." Latta introduced the current version of the Self Drive Act, House Resolution 7390, in February of this year, and it was narrowly voted out of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee by a vote of 12-11. Congress is currently on recess and is set to return on Nov. 9 following the midterm elections. "Thousands of Americans die each year in traffic crashes," Latta said. "We lose family members, friends and loved ones every day to these horrible incidents, but tragedies like these are not inevitable, and autonomous vehicles can help. It's critical that we write the law correctly to ensure safe and positive deployments for the ushering in of this new technology that will help us lower crash fatalities." Contact Owen MacMillan at 440-329-7123 or omacmillan@chroniclet.com.